Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar Procedures
The spine is made of alternating bony vertebrae and discs that are connected by ligaments and supported by muscle that extends from the skull to the pelvis. There are 33 vertebrae in the spine. The seven at the top are called the cervical spine, the next 12 are called thoracic spine, and the final five that make up the majority of the support to your back are called lumbar spine. The intervertebral discs connect the vertebrae and serve as shock absorbers from the stress on the spinal column. The canal running down the center protects the spinal cord. Injury or disorders of the spine may occur in any area. Most problems present themselves with pain or weakness in the spine, pelvis, arms or legs. Surgical treatments commonly done for the spine include, but are not limited to discectomy, decompression or fusion.

• Discectomy - Discectomy is a surgical procedure to remove part or all of the intervertebral disc between two of the vertebrae (bony areas) from the spine. This is done most often when a disc is herniated and causes symptoms of pain and nerve irritation. Depending on the level of the spine, removal of disc may be done in the front or back of the spine.
• Fusion - A surgically created solid bone bridge between two or more freely mobile bones. It creates a stabile level between the vertebrae that usually would have some motion. Bone graft is placed into the desired area and must grow in a gradual solid fashion to achieve a fusion. To ensure sufficient immobility across the area while bone is fusing, bracing and casting, in addition to spinal hardware may be used.
• Decompression - A surgical technique which frees space around the nerves in the spinal canal. Bone, disc and ligaments may all be removed to accommodate. A spinal decompression can be performed in the cervical, thoracic or lumbar spine if there is spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal cord) or a disc herniation. Less common reasons for a decompression include infection, tumor and fractures. In many cases, a decompression involves removing tissue which is constricting or compressing nerves, causing the area to become unstable and also requiring a fusion to be performed at the time of surgery.